1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing method, an apparatus for the same, and a storage medium which stores computer readable process steps that can be applied to digital cameras, and the like, provided with a communication function.
2. Related Background Art
Recent years have seen dramatic advances in digital cameras promoted by improvements in the technologies of semiconductors, etc. A digital camera digitizes photographed images and stores the results into an image memory, which is provided in a semiconductor memory in many cases.
Semiconductor memories, however, are very expensive, so that, taking into consideration the overall costs of the digital camera, the capacity of its semiconductor memory is limited. That is, the number of photographs that can be taken is also limited. Presently, the capacity of a semiconductor memory for use in digital cameras on a standard basis is not sufficient with respect to a photographing frequency generally required for camera equipment.
To overcome this drawback, a digital camera is marketed in which the image memory used is a replaceable store device, such as a PCMCIA flash memory card or a smart memory, to permit the user to replace it as required, thus increasing the number of photographs that can be taken.
The availability of flash memory cards or smart memories, however, is very low as compared to silver salt films, so that it is not always possible for the user to have such an image memory at hand when necessary. The user, therefore, must anticipate beforehand the number of photographs to be taken and add a sufficient margin to that number for PCMCIA flash memory cards or smart media to be carried. This situation cannot be said to utilize efficiently the feature of using replaceable storage devices as the image memory.
On the other hand, another image memory which may be used is a magnetic memory, such as a hard disc, instead of semiconductor memories, to assure a sufficient number of photographs that can be taken with respect to a photographing frequency generally required for digital cameras.
However, even with a magnetic memory employed as the image memory, its memory capacity is not infinite. That is, it is limited. Moreover, a magnetic memory requires larger power dissipation and also larger dimensions of its equipment body. Magnetic memories, therefore, are not appropriate as the image memory of camera equipment, which needs to be portable.
As mentioned above, conventional digital cameras have been limited in terms of the number of photographs that can be taken due to the limited capacity of the built-in image memory and the poor availability of replaceable storage devices. With this in mind, when one wants to take photographs in excess of a limited number, one must, for example, at a photographing site, erase unnecessary photographs of those already stored in the image memory, or transfer already photographed images to a storage device in a personal computer, to increase the usable capacity of the image memory.
The above-mentioned work, however, if carried out at a photographing site wastes time, bringing about a large drawback for digital cameras which are required to be used immediately.
Specifically, to erase unnecessary images already photographed, various types of information must be confirmed to decide which images are unnecessary. The confirmation work places a heavy burden on the photographer if it is carried out with a digital camera, which has a relatively low processing speed compared to a personal computer. In particular, the quality of photographed images are rather difficult to judge with a small-sized display generally provided on the digital camera.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned confirmation work requires for its effective use the mounting of new groups of dedicated-use operation switches and information-confirmation displays. This situation prevents the miniaturization of digital cameras.
Moreover, it is a psychological burden for the photographer to erase his photographed images at site, thus bringing about a strong resistance to him psychologically.
When photographed images are transferred to a storage device in the personal computer, on the other hand, the above-mentioned psychological burden is not present. However, the photographer has to carry with him an interface, etc., between the digital camera and the personal computer, thus creating physical burdens.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, it has been suggested that the digital camera be, for example, provided with a communication function to send and receive photographed images and E-mails as required.
However, even in a configuration in which a digital camera is provided with a communication function, if the photographed images and the received data are stored in the same memory, collision occurs to that memory, thus disabling photographing or data reception.
If, for example, a communication call occurs immediately before one photographs something and the reception data occupies the memory into which the photographed image is to be stored, the previously possible photographing is no longer possible.
To avoid such a problem, the user needs to decide whether communication is permitted or not each time he receives a call; this, however, prevents immediate use for photographing, as well as shutter chances (photo opportunities). Such a problem provides a large drawback for digital cameras.
In addition, if a photographing function is operated during communication, the received data may not be stored in the memory to the last moment. This also affects the certainty of communication, providing a large drawback for the communication function.
The present inventor previously has disclosed a countermeasure against the above-mentioned problems in which a sum, A, of an amount of reception-expected data and a typical data size of images obtained in the current photographing mode is compared to the remaining amount of memory capacity and, if A is larger than the remaining amount, the compressibility of the image data is increased (U.S. application Ser. No. 09/162,720 filed on Sept. 30, 1998). This technology, however, may degrade the quality of photographed images and make it impossible to photograph a sufficient number of images. Also, if received data alone exceeds the remaining amount of storage capacity, then that technology needs improvements.
Another disclosure teaches to store only part of received data in a memory; however, if such data as required as a whole is received, this method also needs improvements.